RTL’s Sonderlage Commences Filming

Sonderlage (w.t.), a new RTL drama franchise, has begun shooting the first of its two 90-minute films in Hamburg and Berlin.

Inspired by true events, Sonderlage focuses on police work in such exceptional situations as attacks, kidnappings or violent rampages. Produced by ConradFilm and Bavaria Fiction, it is directed by Andreas Senn (Unbroken) and written by Norbert Eberlein (Beat).

In addition to Henny Reents (Nord bei Nordwest), Sonderlage stars Annette Paulmann (Brief an mein Leben), Lasse Myhr (Blood Red Sky), Georg Bütow (Der Feind meines Feindes), Banafshe Hourmazdi (Futur Drei), Zoë Valks (Dear Thomas), Frederik Schmid (The Queen’s Gambit) and Sven Gerhardt (Der Amsterdam-Krimi). Broadcast is planned for next year.

Hauke Bartel, head of fiction at RTL Germany, said: “We are bringing new crime thriller colors to RTL and are pleased to have such experienced and strong partners in ConradFilm and Bavaria Fiction, with whom we are venturing into very unusual and exciting ‘special situations.’ Screenwriter Nobert Eberlein shows us crime fiction from a perspective that has not yet been told. Thanks to the supporting expertise of leading members of the Hamburg LKA, the material has a gripping authenticity. This unique combination convinced us immediately.”

Marc Conrad, managing director and executive producer at ConradFilm, added: “Hostage-taking, terrifying rampages, kidnappings, escaped prisoners, high-caliber extortions, theft at financial institutions and sensitive national establishments cannot be handled within the confines of routine police work. These ‘special situations’ require intensive cooperation between protective and criminal police, psychologists, topic-specific experts, special task forces, etc. Resulting in a high demand for forces, long deployment times and a dramatic density of decisions in an avalanche of information. We will tell the story of this master plan with the mission ‘to save lives’ for the first time on German television at RTL.”

Marcus Ammon, managing director of content, and Lucia Staubach, executive producer, Bavaria Fiction, commented: “Inspired by true events, Sonderlage shows police work under extreme conditions. Under immense time pressure and under the observation of the public decisions have to be made that determine life and death. We are very pleased that together with our partners RTL and ConradFilm and with a strong team in front of and behind the camera—first and foremost Henny Reents, director Andreas Senn and writer Norbert Eberlein—we are now filming and viewers will soon be able to gain an insight into unusual cases and internal police power structures.”